Would You Read/Buy a DS Comic Book Series

[Sandor]

Do the covers of any of the DS comic books feature the actual actors? I'd buy one if the cover was unique - I dropped a few bucks on the first "Afternoon TV" magazine ('68) because it featured Jonathan Frid & Alexandra Moltke on its cover.

[Barnabas'sBride]

The first seven issues of the original series comics had photo covers of Barnabas. Issue #6 featured David with Barnabas.

[Mark Rainey]

I used to have this, and several other issues of the Gold Key comic. They're probably either hiding somewhere in my mom's attic with so many other old goodies, or rotting in some landfill. I suspect the latter, unfortunately.

[arashi]

Do the covers of any of the DS comic books feature the actual actors? I'd buy one if the cover was unique - I dropped a few bucks on the first "Afternoon TV" magazine ('68) because it featured Jonathan Frid & Alexandra Moltke on its cover.

Shameless plug! I've got a couple of the comic covers scanned over on my site, you can find 'em here if you're interested. http://www.hollowmoon.net/sites/darknessfalls/collection/comic/index.html

[Midnite]

Shameless plug! I've got a couple of the comic covers scanned over on my site, you can find 'em here if you're interested.

Your summaries are so entertaining, arashi!  

All the best with completing your collection.  I'm almost there.  But do I ever wish I still had my comics from the mid 50s to early 60s, even though they were mostly hand-me-downs from my brother (Spider-Man and other superheroes) and sister (Archie).

[arashi]

::laughing:: thanks! I've read over old stuff I've reviewed, etc. and think I usually come across as a total spazmo, but I'm glad people are entertained by it!

[Gothick]

Arashi, that site is awesome!  Many thanks for the panel from the book, too.  What fun!  I remember one summer when we stayed at the beach for a couple of weeks, and my treat was to go down to the little store and see whether there was a new issue of that comic book on the racks.  I think that was around 1972 or 1973.

It seems funny now, but after the show went off the air, reading those terrible comics was strangely consoling.  A lot of the later ones from 1974-75, I never saw, maybe because our town's one comic book store stopped carrying Gold Key's books.

Thanks again,

Steve

[petofi]

I remember one summer when we stayed at the beach for a couple of weeks, and my treat was to go down to the little store and see whether there was a new issue of that comic book on the racks.  I think that was around 1972 or 1973.

It seems funny now, but after the show went off the air, reading those terrible comics was strangely consoling.  A lot of the later ones from 1974-75, I never saw, maybe because our town's one comic book store stopped carrying Gold Key's books.

Gothick, I had similar experiences with the good ole Gold Key DS comics as a kid!  When I started putting together my current collection (inspired by the video release of the series in '89-'90), among my first acquisitions were the Gold Key comix.  I was living in Bangor, Maine (where I grew up) at the time, and had some pretty good contacts in the collectibles biz.  My brother buys and sells antiques and collectibles, so I put him on the lookout, as well!  I still get a kick out of the cheesiness of those comix, but I'm with you - they were something of a consolation after the original series left the air in '71.  

I would love to see a new comic based on the old series, cheesy or not!  I still remember Joe Certa's improbable drawings of werewolves, and the "Arrooos" and "Snarrrs" that accompanied their appearance.  I also recall that Jeff Thompson, a DS fan from way back, created a sort of guide for the comix back in the '80s.  In it, he makes the classic description of Joe Certa's version of Quentin as looking as if he were "Englebert Humperdinck after being run over by a steamroller," with sideburns that "curled up at the ends!  What great fun!

Petofi

[Misa]

I would love to see a quality graphic novel about Dark Shadows with the original cast being well drawn, and with good stories. I think it should continue where the series left off. I would buy it!

Misa

[MagnusTrask]

Still only one no vote!    My sordid reputation with the world as Mr. Negative is intact.

[Gothick]

Petofi, thanks for those memories, and for that hilarious panel!  My God, that fellow was a dreadful artist!  Quentin looks as if he swiped one of Diana Ross' hairpieces from her Supreme days!

G.

[onyx_treasure]

    Thank you, petofi.  I had never seen any DS comics.  The square jaws on Julia and Quentin make them look like super-hero wannabees.  I think Quentin looks more like Morgan Collins from PT.  Were all the characters given strong chins?

[Gothick]

Julia's chin appears to have a Kirk Douglas dent in it, too.  Oy.

G.

[petofi]

I had never seen any DS comics.  The square jaws on Julia and Quentin make them look like super-hero wannabees.  I think Quentin looks more like Morgan Collins from PT.  Were all the characters given strong chins?

Many were, yes.  At least many of the men under 60 or 70 years old.  The older men were often given prominent foreheads, wild beards, etc.  Liz was drawn impossibly young, Angelique was, at times, yellow or green!!  Early Gold Key comics featured Barnabas with his fangs sticking out even when among those who supposedly were in the dark about his secret.     The consistency of the art was not very.  Barnabas looked exactly like Superman in one issue, then more like a little old man with bug eyes in another.  The stable of writers that did the comic didn't bother staying in touch much, and the inconsistancies in the characters and situations throughout the series of comics points this out.  A couple of examples of Gold Key art can be found in the multimedia section of JuliaHoffman.com

http://www.juliahoffman.com/main.htm

Perhaps Joe Certa, the artist who drew the DS panels for  Gold Key, developed a fetish for strong chins and other prominent features when he was drawing superheroes such as The Martian Manhunter and Rawhide Kid, back in the fabulous fifties!

Petofi

[Raineypark]

Dear Goddess......who among us would ever have guessed those were supposed to be Julia and Quentin?  The artist should have been sued for misrepresentation.